Rwanda gorilla safaris combine a variety of wildlife experiences, primate tours, mountain climbing, bird watching and cultural tours to meet, satisfy and exceed expectations of travelers to the land of a thousand hills. Lying south of the equator in Central Africa, Rwanda is one of the most visited travel destinations.
The small country receives the highest number of travelers, especially for Rwanda gorilla trekking tours from all over the world compared to other neighboring countries. Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park and Chimpanzee trekking safaris in Nyungwe forest are the leading travel activities that attract high number of travelers to the land of a thousand hills. Rwanda tourist statistics show that over 60% of travelers to Rwanda choose luxury gorilla trekking tour as their number one priority. 12 gorilla families have been habituated in Rwanda and open daily for gorilla trekking tours, particularly in Volcanoes National park. Rwanda gorilla groups are Hirwa, Umubano, Sabyinyo, Kwitonda, Amahoro, Karisimbi, Agashya, Bwenge, Ugenda and Susa A, etc.
Each Rwanda gorilla family is visited by 8 travelers, which guarantees availability of 96 gorilla permits per day. Each Rwanda gorilla permit costs $1500, which makes it a luxury gorilla safari destination than its counterparts, Uganda and D.R. Congo which mainly offer budget gorilla safaris. More so, Volcanoes National Park is located roughly 3 hours from Kigali airport, making it the easiest accessible gorilla destination compared to other gorilla national parks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda Development Board issues permits on the first come first serve basis. Other than gorilla trekking, Rwanda is also rich with more wildlife that favor a variety of other Rwanda safari tours.
Join our 1-day Rwanda excursion to explore the beauty of Kigali city in the shortest time possible. Kigali city is …
Types of Safaris in Rwanda
Golden Monkey trekking. Also done in Volcanoes National Park, golden monkey trekking is yet another not-to-miss travel activity in Rwanda. Fortunately, golden monkeys are seen at a very low cost $100 compared to the gorillas. Two golden monkey communities have been habituated for trekking. Golden monkeys are playful and lively creatures, which continuously jump over you across tree branches. Also, golden monkey trekking is not as strenuous as gorilla trekking.
Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda. Visit Rwanda to trek chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest National Park located in the southwestern region. Nyungwe Forest is the prime destination for chimpanzee trekking in the whole of Rwanda. A permit to trek chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest costs about $90 per person. You can either trek in the major forest or Cyamudongo forest. However, both experiences are exceptional and worth the effort and money.
Canopy Walk. Canopy walk is normally done as a complement to chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park. Canopy walk is an experience of walking on top of the forest for great aerial views of the forest. The 2 hours Canopy walk costs $60 per person. Canopy walk is a 160m long and 70 meters high stretching from Igishigishi trail. The canopy walk offers you great views of Nyungwe Forest, Virunga Volcanoes and neighboring local communities.
Big five game safaris. Enjoy a guided big five game safari in the eastern based Akagera National Park. Morning and evening game drives through open savannah parks offer you exceptional views of numerous wild animals in the park. Expect to see wild animals include Elephants, Giraffes, Hippos, Buffalos, Rhinos, Lions, Leopards, Kobs, Oribis, Hippos, Bushbucks, Waterbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, Giraffes, Topis, Crocodiles and Defassa waterbucks, Hyenas, Duikers, Zebras, Capeland, Impalas, and Roan antelopes among others. June to September is the best season for game watching in Akagera National Park. In most cases, game viewing in Akagera national park is complemented with a boat cruise and sport fishing on Lake Ihema.
Mountain climbing. Are you an adventure traveler? Be part of Rwanda hiking tours for exceptional Rwanda mountaineering safaris. A hike to the summit of Mt Karisimbi (the highest volcano) in the Virunga Conservation Area and Mt Bisoke is a great experience. Both volcanoes are at the heart of Volcanoes National park. The slopes of Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Bisoke shelter the endangered gorillas, giving you chances to meet them seamlessly.
Musanze caves. A visit to Musanze caves is a great add-on to your gorilla trekking and golden monkey tours in Volcanoes National Park. A guided walk through the quite cool Musanze caves is an experience of its own kind. You will walk via a complex of tunnels whose walls harbor numerous bats and birds. The echoes of human voices make this experience more magical. You enter and exit from different tunnels. The experience costs $55 for a 2 hours’ walk. Due to the rough terrain within the caves, travelers are reminded to wear closed shoes and gardening gloves for the hands. A lighting torch is also helpful to light through dark tunnels.
Dian Fossey Graveyard Hike. Hike to the graveyard of the fallen Dina Fossey, an American Primatologist who lots her life to save the endangered gorillas that were at the verge of extinction. The graveyard hike is the commemoration of Dian Fossey’s conservation campaign, which has seen gorilla tourism flourish up to present. This hike is not an easy one but worth the effort. Travelers hiking to Dian Fossey graveyard also have high chances of meeting the endangered gorillas, golden monkeys and plant species, which make the whole experience more enjoyable and fun.
Burera and Ruhondo Lakes experience. Visiting the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo is an exceptional experience you ought not to miss on your Rwanda safari. A boat ride to the islands of any of the lakes offers you a fresh feeling of moist airs with great views of local plantations and the forest. Bird watching, canoeing and fishing are the major activities to do on these twin lakes.
Bird watching safaris. Rwanda is one of the top birding destinations in Africa. Yes, this small country shelters over 700 bird species scattered in the mountains, swamps, forests and savannahs across the country. 27 bird species are endemic to the albertine region and cannot be found anywhere else in the whole world. The notable birds in Rwanda include African Fish Eagle, African Jacana, African Harrier, Shoebill, Red throated alethe, Regal sunbird, Red faced woodland, Ruwenzori Batis, Ruwenzori Turaco, Dimorphic egret, Archer’s robin Chat, Brown throated lapwing, Ruwenzori Apalis, Short tailed pipit, Dwarf honey guide and Papyrus gonolek among others. Nyungwe Forest and Akagera National Park are the best birding spots in Rwanda.
Kigali City tour. You cannot miss touring the beautiful and clean Kigali city on your Rwanda safari. Yes, the small city is a gateway for all tourist activities in Rwanda. Most travelers do Kigali city tour on their first day of the trip. Immediately after landing at the airport. Travelers are picked and driven to Kigali for a city tour. The cleanness of the city and the quietness of the streets make Rwanda an exceptional city to visit. Some of the top tourist centers in Kigali city include Kigali genocide memorial center, Kigali Convention Centre, Kimironko Market, Presidential Palace, Kandt House Museum, Inerma Arts Centre among others.
Hiking to the top of Mt Kigali offers you great views of the city and the neighboring local communities. Rwanda safaris offer it all you want to see and do for a memorable travel experience. Choose activities of your choice, travel now and explore the incomparable beauty of Rwanda.
